Posted: May 20, 2009

MULRONEY'S EVASIONS by Linda McQuaig
  Former PM has at least 225,000 reasons for his relentless secrecy on Schreiber's payments.
 
 

CASINO CAPITALISM by Anthony Westell
  The modern market economy is more about speculation than investment.
 
 

AFGHAN LAW HIGHLIGHTED INEQUALITY by Elsie Hambrook
  But Canadian law condoned rape in marriage until 25 years ago.
 
 

NEW FARM LOANS LEGISLATION GOOD NEWS FOR AGRICULTURAL CO-OPS from the Canadian Co-operative Association
  Loans will be available to co-ops that have community members as well as farmers.

NEWS, VIEWS, AND ALL THAT JAZZ! Thanks to a generous offer from Straight Goods reader Lorraine Craig, we are delighted to be able to offer a free download of an original jazz CD, by the Montreal based Geoff Lapp Trio, to anyone who subscribes or renews their paid subscription during our spring support drive. Hear a sample: "Stained Glass" (Requires Adobe Flash Player 10) Do your part to SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM IN CANADA and we'll send you the link so that you can download the whole CD to your PC. And, don't forget, we're still offering FREE memory... Every $100 (or more) donation – or 3-year paid subscription or renewal for $95 – will receive a free 4GB memory stick. (A $30 value!) AND, in addition, every $100 donation specifically to Straight Goods will receive a bonus of one year's paid subscription or renewal. Subscribe - Renew - Donate ... now! Of course, smaller donations and/or paid subscriptions/renewals will be gratefully received, too.

Editorial

COLONIALISM'S DEADLY BEAT GOES ON AND ON by Ish Theilheimer
  Wealthy North shares guilt for South Asian tragedies.
 

Science matters

INVASIVE SPECIES UPSET LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS by David Suzuki, with Faisal Moola
  We must fight the alien invasion – for the sake of biodiversity.
 

MeanToons
LAUNCHED TOO SOON
  Maybe they can put up a "lost" sign.

www.meantoons.com

Canadian Politics

HOW POLITICIANS LOSE RESPECT by Geoffrey Stevens
  Three ongoing activities are likely to disgust the public.
 
 

MEET TWO CANDIDATES FOR THE ONTARIO CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP by Inside Queen's Park
  IQP interviews Christine Elliott and Tim Hudak.
 

NDP FUTURE CLOUDY IN SHADOW OF LOSS by Bill Tieleman
  Mixed messages and failure to highlight job losses undermined NDP campaign.
 
 

GOD, GAYS AND GOVERNMENT by Jeremy Klaszus
  For too long, Alberta has allowed intolerance in schools.
 
 

NS NDP LOOKS FORWARD, NOT BACK by Stephen Kimber
  Party shrugs off question about repealing infamous "Michelin Bill".
 
 

Workplaces
PIPSC REJECTS FEDERAL CONTRACT from the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
  Thousands of federal professionals give a collective thumbs-down to the Canada Revenue Agency.

World beat

PALESTINIANS QUARRELING ON THE TITANIC by Uri Avnery
  No peace with Israel is possible until there is harmony among Palestinians.
 
 

Watershed ways
GREEN INCENTIVES by Ole Hendrickson
  Governments can make sound, sustainable, business investments.
 
 

Consumers
CONFUSED BY SPF? TAKE A NUMBER by Catherine Saint Louis
  Higher Sun Protection Factor numbers cost more but don't necessarily provide significantly more protection.

Media
AT LAST, INTERNATIONAL NEWS FOR AMERICANS! from GlobalPost.com
  New enterprise aims to provide overseas news that major media have dropped.

PICK OF THE WEEK

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL FIND Notes, photos, lists, love letters, hate letters, drawings – things people find in public places form the basis of Found Magazine, a surprisingly funny and poignant print and online publication. Our favourite is the sheet covered in an angry red scrawl saying, "I HAVE ANGER MANAGEMENT ISSUES." foundmagazine.com

Hot headlines
HYPE DRIVES OVERREACTION IN PAKISTAN: MOYERS INTERVIEW from Bill Moyers' Journal on PBS
  Washington and media overstate Taliban, understate strength of Pakistan's democracy.

AFRICAN LAND GRAB by Gwynne Dyer
  "Neocolonial" move to secure grain supplies sure to fail in the long term.
 
 

Take action!
DEMAND THAT BURMESE GOVERNMENT FREE AUNG SAN SUU KYI! from Avaaz.org
  Sign Avaaz petition before May 25.

Feedback from our readers
SIGN PETITION TO BAN SHORT SELLING by Robert Innes
  Help restrict the damage that speculators can do.

Humour
TWENTY-FIVE THINGS THAT A YOUNG SON CAN TEACH YOU from the Internet
  A child really can lead you to unimaginable discoveries.